Novel 8 Translation - 光降る碧の大地 (Chapter 1, Part 2)
Shuuei could not refrain from laughing out loud when he watched them argue. He finally understood why Seiran sent Shuurei off without a second thought. The atmosphere of tension that had been surrounding Shuurei until now had finally melted like snow.
And her manner of flinging at Ensei straightly back then.
Even though he would not give up that place to anyone, but the man acknowledged by Seiran was an exception.
Shuuei finally felt the uneasiness in his heart fading away a little. If it was him…
“-We will be looking forward to the arrival of good news with the emperor at Kiyou.”
“Yes. I will do my best.”
Shuurei smiled and bowed to Shuuei.
After accepting Shuuei’s order, his subordinates mounted their houses hesitantly while looking back worriedly. In short, they had to retreat unwillingly and leave the doctors behind. Those doctors looked as if the wind could blow them to somewhere unknown.
“… General Ran.”
Kou Kanshou walked beside Shuurei. He kept caressing his proudest bow as if he wanted to calm himself down.
“This… really puts me in a bad mood… It seems like everyone is heading to the most dangerous place now.”
“… True.”
“Now that I think about it, women usually were always waiting for us to come back… They’re always thinking perhaps their husbands, fathers or children might never come back again. The women had to wait even if they might be killed the next instant.”
Shuuei could not help but glance at his subordinate, who had just passed twenty years of age. Kou Kanshou turned back and looked in the direction of the tents.
“I’m good with arrows. I’ll protect the emperor or become the shield of General Ran if a war happens. As a solder, this is my intention even if it means dying on a battlefield. I believe this is the only way of protecting my family. But… now that I think about it on the opposite standpoint, I finally understand why my mother and sister looked so sad when I had just become a soldier. And I understand Governor Kou’s feeling about not wanting to mobilize the army too. If my mother and sister - the females say: ‘I’ve been drafted. I’ll fight for you and the emperor, so I’ll leave the house to you.’ If they left for the battlefield and never came back again…”
Kou Kanshou let out a heavy sigh. His breath condensed into white smoke because of the coldness of winter and disappeared.
“… Sorry, I said something weird. If anything happens, I’ll break this bow for the emperor and offer my life for certain. But just watching Governor Kou, I’ll think back. Death is 'taken for granted' for myself… but indeed, no one is willing to see a beloved one die. Death is not taken for granted, whether it be death by fighting or by sickness. So that’s why Governor Kou knew she had to gather the doctors even if it meant she had to be reckless. She knew what she had do, including refusing the mobilization of the army. She must have considered a lot.”
Shuuei finally saw with his own eyes the so-called spreading of ripples.
It was always the men that were engaged in the administration. The other half of the world was buried deep in the dark on the other hand, where light could not reach.
It took the form of a girl and allowed the outside world to listen to its voice.
“Speaking of that, Shi Seiran of the right Shaorin army serves Governor Kou, right? General Ran has an affinity with her too. I’m envious; you must be loved by her.”
“… What?”
“Isn’t that it? By refusing the royal army, it means she would go against the emperor’s order to protect Shi Seiran and General Ran. Doesn’t that mean your life is really precious to her?”
After pausing for a beat, Shuuei’s eyes suddenly widened.
Shuurei had smiled and said she would try her best. She would choose to protect other people even if it meant exchanging her safety for it.
“Even though we think protecting and fighting are our job… that’s what you call an amazing official. She could still include the ‘protection’ of the soldiers in her decision. How surprising."
… Shuuei wondered what the emperor was feeling when he sent her away.
She handed over the things she held on to, the things she wanted to protect, over to the emperor. Only the emperor was excluded among the things in her hands.
“… Um, Ensei. What will you do with the sword? Aren’t you clumsy with swords?”
“Hmm. I’m not good at all. This is a hindrance… Oh well. It can’t be helped. I’ll just pray I won’t be using it.”
Ensei sighed as if he was really fed up. He narrowed his eyes and looked at “Kanshou”.
Seiran entrusted the sword to him to compensate as his replacement.
Ensei scratched his head carelessly and sighed.
“… Oh well. Looks like he matured a little too. If he dares to cling on to you with difficulty, I’ll really beat him up.”
There was no doubt about Seiran’s capability as Shuurei’s escort. But the division line of anything else unconcerned in Seiran’s heart was very ambiguous. When Ensei left for Sa province to his post, this had been on his mind on the way.
The girl named Kou Shuurei was different from her as an official. She needed to be protected in a different way.
But Seiran was very extreme. He maintained the belief in his heart that it would be fine as long as she was safe, regardless of which “Kou Shuurei” it was. If he was to weigh Shuurei and the civilians she would protect on a balance, he would still choose Shuurei even if he had to ignore her will. That was why Ensei had always warned him. He was afraid Seiran might delay Shuurei’s governor work in order to protect her.
Seiran’s job was originally the same as Shuurei. The emperor assigned Seiran to protect her and the Sa province. But Seiran only planned on protecting Shuurei. He could not refer to himself as a soldier like this.
But it seemed he finally drew the line. If Seiran insisted on following, it would be the same as telling him to protect Shuurei even if he had to kill all the believers of the “Jasenkyou”. Shuurei had convinced the emperor and the officials so they would not order the mobilization of the army. All her trouble would be for naught.
(Because he’s too smart like Sakujun. Instead he didn’t realize he might be the victim of his own cleverness…)
Ensei thought about it seriously. Seiran would become furious for sure if he heard these words.
But it seemed like Seiran had overcame this difficulty with his own strength before Ensei had to use his fists to separate those two. For discovering the things he must do, Seiran became more responsible than any other soldiers.
There was no need to worry about Yuushun and the provincial government anymore now that Seiran was with them.
They had matters that could only be done by them. Shuurei and Ensei had matters that only they could do as well.
Ensei found a random spot and leaned “Kanshou” against the tent. After closing his eyes once, he looked in the direction of Shuurei.
“Hey, princess. Have you seen people die one by one before your eyes?”
Those eyes lacked his usual cheerfulness. He asked gently and harshly:
“That’s some miserable situations. Are you mentally prepared? If you still have that half-serious mentality, I won’t bring you there.”
“… You haven’t changed at all. You’re still as unmerciful as always, Ensei… I’m all right. ”
Ensei’s eyes were close to her. Shuurei faced his eyes directly.
“You don’t know the Kiyou during the time of the struggle for the throne. I was helping out in the clinic back then. There weren't any medicine or food. I could only watch people die in front of my eyes in the clinic. My job was to wipe the bodies for the dying people, hold their hands, and play the erhu during funerals. To be honest, I’m confident my skill at wiping dying people’s bodies still ranked in the top three in the whole country, even by now. In terms of playing the erhu at funerals, I won’t lose to the city’s musicians. I had to dig holes everyday and help with burning a large amount of corpses in order to prevent diseases from spreading. But it’s different this time. We have doctors and medicines. What mental preparation is necessary then? I’m not here to play the funeral erhu.”
Ensei patted Shuurei’s back lightly instead of a verbal apology.
“… Okay. All right, then let’s go together. But the Korin County may leave you with horrible memories.”
“It’s all right. I already cried back at my father’s place, so I won’t cry anymore.”
Ensei laughed wryly when he saw Shuurei made her chest upright.
… It was impossible to compete with Seiran and Shouka after all.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take the place of Seiran to protect you no matter what happens. I made a promise with you because it’s my job to help you. I’m stronger than Seiran after all.”
Ensei had an absolute confident. When Shuurei first met Ensei, she thought perhaps anything could be achieved with him by her side.
“Ensei, I don’t know why but I suddenly thought you looked kind of cool.”
“What? You’ve only noticed my charm until now? Isn’t that a bit late?”
Ensei put his arms around Shuurei’s waist and let her sit on his arms. He lifted her up high.
“… Hey, princess. Sai Shou and I were pretty surprised when we arrived at Sairi. It’s because carriages that carried the medicines, food and materials that we hoped for were coming one after one.”
Ensei tilted his head to one side as if he wanted to sneak a look at Shuurei.
“We have highly-skilled doctors gathered here, along with the discovery of treatment method. Even the Merchant Guild and the imperial army are in action too. Everyone ditched those big shots who were full of themselves. All they do is complain endlessly, but everyone is working at full speed now.“
“Because we have Yuushun-san helping us.”
“Even I understand what are the things Yuushun can do and cannot do. Even though you guys worked so hard for the Sa province, but something that made you upset still happened. Sorry about that. Everyone is panicking because they don’t understand the situation… I think you still have to endure it for a little longer. Forgive me for that.”
Shuurei still came here as fast as she could despite knowing all this. Even though she did not cry, that did not mean she was not hurt.
“But what made me really happy is that you personally came here even if you would be in danger. Plus you stopped the mobilization of the imperial army."
Shuurei suddenly buried her forehead in Ensei’s hair. It was messy but full of the smell of sunshine. She closed her eyes from the itchy sensation and the gentle voice that felt as if it was ringing in her mind.
“Ah, it was also very hard for you when Satsujinzoku were revolting for sure. But it’s much better now because we can finally sleep well. It doesn’t matter what the purpose was, who wouldn’t be afraid when being surrounded by an armed army? Especially since this is how the Sa province had always been like until now. Even so, Sa province is my homeland, the place where I was born and lived with my family.”
To Ensei, Sa province was a place where his complex thoughts remained. He had the precious memories of living together with his deceased family, as well as the memories of their murders. To chase after the “Satsujunzoku”, he did not hesitate to dirty his hands from his vengeance and hatred. In the ten years of being busy going around, he had met his mentor, Seiran, Sa Enjun, Yuushun and the Sa province officials.
All of his memories and efforts were absorbed into this land.
That was why he had accepted the position of governor. Sa province was an irreplaceable, important homeland to him.
“Whether I like it or not, I can’t allow the place where I was born and raised in to be trampled carelessly by others. Especially since it's the kind of people that will find any suitable wooden pole from somewhere and capable of playing a fighting game in an instant… The group of stinking brats cannot even hold a sword steadily originally. It’s frightening… Everyone has always been afraid. Their heart will break if they continue to live in such tension. So even if we already knew, the provincial officials and I tried not to send the provincial army. Isn’t it for the bet if things can be solved without a fight? Although it’s a pain to sort out the aftermaths. Besides, solving the disease problem is still our top priority. Hmm, that’s it in the end.”
Ensei rubbed the top of his nose shyly and patted Shuurei’s shoulder.
“In order for everyone not to be afraid anymore, you’ve been persistent and risking your life. So I’m thankful for that. It made me really happy. Because you stood up and protected my homeland, including the provincial officials, Shou, Shunki and the others.”
“… Stupid Ensei! Why are you being so thoughtful?”
Shuurei gritted her teeth and grabbed onto Ensei’s uncut beard in a tantrum.
She already decided not to cry, but Ensei made her heart crumble so easily just like her mother back then.
Everything was not over yet; she could not stop and cry in here.
===============
Hmm... I don't know how long it'll be before the next translation comes out.(probably some time after next week)
It's finals for me next week... I'll be too busy studying and writing papers...
I'm getting a little distracted too now it's the spring season of anime...
Note: Forgot to mention Kou Kanshou is not related to the seven colored family. The kanji for his last name is different.
And her manner of flinging at Ensei straightly back then.
Even though he would not give up that place to anyone, but the man acknowledged by Seiran was an exception.
Shuuei finally felt the uneasiness in his heart fading away a little. If it was him…
“-We will be looking forward to the arrival of good news with the emperor at Kiyou.”
“Yes. I will do my best.”
Shuurei smiled and bowed to Shuuei.
After accepting Shuuei’s order, his subordinates mounted their houses hesitantly while looking back worriedly. In short, they had to retreat unwillingly and leave the doctors behind. Those doctors looked as if the wind could blow them to somewhere unknown.
“… General Ran.”
Kou Kanshou walked beside Shuurei. He kept caressing his proudest bow as if he wanted to calm himself down.
“This… really puts me in a bad mood… It seems like everyone is heading to the most dangerous place now.”
“… True.”
“Now that I think about it, women usually were always waiting for us to come back… They’re always thinking perhaps their husbands, fathers or children might never come back again. The women had to wait even if they might be killed the next instant.”
Shuuei could not help but glance at his subordinate, who had just passed twenty years of age. Kou Kanshou turned back and looked in the direction of the tents.
“I’m good with arrows. I’ll protect the emperor or become the shield of General Ran if a war happens. As a solder, this is my intention even if it means dying on a battlefield. I believe this is the only way of protecting my family. But… now that I think about it on the opposite standpoint, I finally understand why my mother and sister looked so sad when I had just become a soldier. And I understand Governor Kou’s feeling about not wanting to mobilize the army too. If my mother and sister - the females say: ‘I’ve been drafted. I’ll fight for you and the emperor, so I’ll leave the house to you.’ If they left for the battlefield and never came back again…”
Kou Kanshou let out a heavy sigh. His breath condensed into white smoke because of the coldness of winter and disappeared.
“… Sorry, I said something weird. If anything happens, I’ll break this bow for the emperor and offer my life for certain. But just watching Governor Kou, I’ll think back. Death is 'taken for granted' for myself… but indeed, no one is willing to see a beloved one die. Death is not taken for granted, whether it be death by fighting or by sickness. So that’s why Governor Kou knew she had to gather the doctors even if it meant she had to be reckless. She knew what she had do, including refusing the mobilization of the army. She must have considered a lot.”
Shuuei finally saw with his own eyes the so-called spreading of ripples.
It was always the men that were engaged in the administration. The other half of the world was buried deep in the dark on the other hand, where light could not reach.
It took the form of a girl and allowed the outside world to listen to its voice.
“Speaking of that, Shi Seiran of the right Shaorin army serves Governor Kou, right? General Ran has an affinity with her too. I’m envious; you must be loved by her.”
“… What?”
“Isn’t that it? By refusing the royal army, it means she would go against the emperor’s order to protect Shi Seiran and General Ran. Doesn’t that mean your life is really precious to her?”
After pausing for a beat, Shuuei’s eyes suddenly widened.
Shuurei had smiled and said she would try her best. She would choose to protect other people even if it meant exchanging her safety for it.
“Even though we think protecting and fighting are our job… that’s what you call an amazing official. She could still include the ‘protection’ of the soldiers in her decision. How surprising."
… Shuuei wondered what the emperor was feeling when he sent her away.
She handed over the things she held on to, the things she wanted to protect, over to the emperor. Only the emperor was excluded among the things in her hands.
“… Um, Ensei. What will you do with the sword? Aren’t you clumsy with swords?”
“Hmm. I’m not good at all. This is a hindrance… Oh well. It can’t be helped. I’ll just pray I won’t be using it.”
Ensei sighed as if he was really fed up. He narrowed his eyes and looked at “Kanshou”.
Seiran entrusted the sword to him to compensate as his replacement.
Ensei scratched his head carelessly and sighed.
“… Oh well. Looks like he matured a little too. If he dares to cling on to you with difficulty, I’ll really beat him up.”
There was no doubt about Seiran’s capability as Shuurei’s escort. But the division line of anything else unconcerned in Seiran’s heart was very ambiguous. When Ensei left for Sa province to his post, this had been on his mind on the way.
The girl named Kou Shuurei was different from her as an official. She needed to be protected in a different way.
But Seiran was very extreme. He maintained the belief in his heart that it would be fine as long as she was safe, regardless of which “Kou Shuurei” it was. If he was to weigh Shuurei and the civilians she would protect on a balance, he would still choose Shuurei even if he had to ignore her will. That was why Ensei had always warned him. He was afraid Seiran might delay Shuurei’s governor work in order to protect her.
Seiran’s job was originally the same as Shuurei. The emperor assigned Seiran to protect her and the Sa province. But Seiran only planned on protecting Shuurei. He could not refer to himself as a soldier like this.
But it seemed he finally drew the line. If Seiran insisted on following, it would be the same as telling him to protect Shuurei even if he had to kill all the believers of the “Jasenkyou”. Shuurei had convinced the emperor and the officials so they would not order the mobilization of the army. All her trouble would be for naught.
(Because he’s too smart like Sakujun. Instead he didn’t realize he might be the victim of his own cleverness…)
Ensei thought about it seriously. Seiran would become furious for sure if he heard these words.
But it seemed like Seiran had overcame this difficulty with his own strength before Ensei had to use his fists to separate those two. For discovering the things he must do, Seiran became more responsible than any other soldiers.
There was no need to worry about Yuushun and the provincial government anymore now that Seiran was with them.
They had matters that could only be done by them. Shuurei and Ensei had matters that only they could do as well.
Ensei found a random spot and leaned “Kanshou” against the tent. After closing his eyes once, he looked in the direction of Shuurei.
“Hey, princess. Have you seen people die one by one before your eyes?”
Those eyes lacked his usual cheerfulness. He asked gently and harshly:
“That’s some miserable situations. Are you mentally prepared? If you still have that half-serious mentality, I won’t bring you there.”
“… You haven’t changed at all. You’re still as unmerciful as always, Ensei… I’m all right. ”
Ensei’s eyes were close to her. Shuurei faced his eyes directly.
“You don’t know the Kiyou during the time of the struggle for the throne. I was helping out in the clinic back then. There weren't any medicine or food. I could only watch people die in front of my eyes in the clinic. My job was to wipe the bodies for the dying people, hold their hands, and play the erhu during funerals. To be honest, I’m confident my skill at wiping dying people’s bodies still ranked in the top three in the whole country, even by now. In terms of playing the erhu at funerals, I won’t lose to the city’s musicians. I had to dig holes everyday and help with burning a large amount of corpses in order to prevent diseases from spreading. But it’s different this time. We have doctors and medicines. What mental preparation is necessary then? I’m not here to play the funeral erhu.”
Ensei patted Shuurei’s back lightly instead of a verbal apology.
“… Okay. All right, then let’s go together. But the Korin County may leave you with horrible memories.”
“It’s all right. I already cried back at my father’s place, so I won’t cry anymore.”
Ensei laughed wryly when he saw Shuurei made her chest upright.
… It was impossible to compete with Seiran and Shouka after all.
“Don’t worry. I’ll take the place of Seiran to protect you no matter what happens. I made a promise with you because it’s my job to help you. I’m stronger than Seiran after all.”
Ensei had an absolute confident. When Shuurei first met Ensei, she thought perhaps anything could be achieved with him by her side.
“Ensei, I don’t know why but I suddenly thought you looked kind of cool.”
“What? You’ve only noticed my charm until now? Isn’t that a bit late?”
Ensei put his arms around Shuurei’s waist and let her sit on his arms. He lifted her up high.
“… Hey, princess. Sai Shou and I were pretty surprised when we arrived at Sairi. It’s because carriages that carried the medicines, food and materials that we hoped for were coming one after one.”
Ensei tilted his head to one side as if he wanted to sneak a look at Shuurei.
“We have highly-skilled doctors gathered here, along with the discovery of treatment method. Even the Merchant Guild and the imperial army are in action too. Everyone ditched those big shots who were full of themselves. All they do is complain endlessly, but everyone is working at full speed now.“
“Because we have Yuushun-san helping us.”
“Even I understand what are the things Yuushun can do and cannot do. Even though you guys worked so hard for the Sa province, but something that made you upset still happened. Sorry about that. Everyone is panicking because they don’t understand the situation… I think you still have to endure it for a little longer. Forgive me for that.”
Shuurei still came here as fast as she could despite knowing all this. Even though she did not cry, that did not mean she was not hurt.
“But what made me really happy is that you personally came here even if you would be in danger. Plus you stopped the mobilization of the imperial army."
Shuurei suddenly buried her forehead in Ensei’s hair. It was messy but full of the smell of sunshine. She closed her eyes from the itchy sensation and the gentle voice that felt as if it was ringing in her mind.
“Ah, it was also very hard for you when Satsujinzoku were revolting for sure. But it’s much better now because we can finally sleep well. It doesn’t matter what the purpose was, who wouldn’t be afraid when being surrounded by an armed army? Especially since this is how the Sa province had always been like until now. Even so, Sa province is my homeland, the place where I was born and lived with my family.”
To Ensei, Sa province was a place where his complex thoughts remained. He had the precious memories of living together with his deceased family, as well as the memories of their murders. To chase after the “Satsujunzoku”, he did not hesitate to dirty his hands from his vengeance and hatred. In the ten years of being busy going around, he had met his mentor, Seiran, Sa Enjun, Yuushun and the Sa province officials.
All of his memories and efforts were absorbed into this land.
That was why he had accepted the position of governor. Sa province was an irreplaceable, important homeland to him.
“Whether I like it or not, I can’t allow the place where I was born and raised in to be trampled carelessly by others. Especially since it's the kind of people that will find any suitable wooden pole from somewhere and capable of playing a fighting game in an instant… The group of stinking brats cannot even hold a sword steadily originally. It’s frightening… Everyone has always been afraid. Their heart will break if they continue to live in such tension. So even if we already knew, the provincial officials and I tried not to send the provincial army. Isn’t it for the bet if things can be solved without a fight? Although it’s a pain to sort out the aftermaths. Besides, solving the disease problem is still our top priority. Hmm, that’s it in the end.”
Ensei rubbed the top of his nose shyly and patted Shuurei’s shoulder.
“In order for everyone not to be afraid anymore, you’ve been persistent and risking your life. So I’m thankful for that. It made me really happy. Because you stood up and protected my homeland, including the provincial officials, Shou, Shunki and the others.”
“… Stupid Ensei! Why are you being so thoughtful?”
Shuurei gritted her teeth and grabbed onto Ensei’s uncut beard in a tantrum.
She already decided not to cry, but Ensei made her heart crumble so easily just like her mother back then.
Everything was not over yet; she could not stop and cry in here.
===============
Hmm... I don't know how long it'll be before the next translation comes out.(probably some time after next week)
It's finals for me next week... I'll be too busy studying and writing papers...
I'm getting a little distracted too now it's the spring season of anime...
Note: Forgot to mention Kou Kanshou is not related to the seven colored family. The kanji for his last name is different.